Method and apparatus for restricting access to an electronic product release within an electronic software delivery system

Abstract

The invention provides a method and apparatus for limiting access to a selected release of a software Product and/or associated License Keys to a subset of the manufacturer's customers who are entitled to receive the software Product or digital good, within an electronic software delivery and management system. A Product release is transmitted to the system for storage and limited distribution to a subset of entitled customers. A user interface enables the manufacturer, or partner such as a reseller, to specify distribution parameters that restrict distribution of the product version to specified customers. At least one customer is selected, such as, for example, one or more customers authorized to receive the product version. The product version is further designated as a restricted product version for the selected customers. Finally, the customer restriction information is stored in appropriate tables within a database.

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a request to input customer restrictions on access to one or both of a selected Product and one or more associated License Keys stored in a library;    responsive to said request, facilitating selection of at least one customer authorized to receive said Product; and    storing said customer restrictions in a database to enable access to said Product only to said at least one authorized customer.    
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 removing said restrictions on access.    
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein said step of removing said restrictions comprises the steps of: 
 selecting said at least one authorized customer from a listing of authorized customers; and    removing said at least one authorized customer from said list.    
     
     
         4 . A computer implemented method, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a request from a customer to access one or both of a selected Product and one or more associated License Keys stored in a library;    retrieving customer restrictions associated with said Product from a database;    determining whether said customer is authorized to access one or both of said Product and said one or more License Keys.    
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising the steps of: 
 granting or denying access based on said determining.    
     
     
         6 . A user interface for implementing access restrictions to one or both of Products and one or more associated License Keys stored in a library comprising: 
 a form for defining a Product;    a first user interface element within said form for selecting at least one customer authorized to receive said Product; and    a second user interface element within said form for storing said customer restrictions in a database to enable access to said Product only to said at least one authorized customer.    
     
     
         7 . The user interface of  claim 6 , further comprising a user interface element within said form for deselecting said at least one customer, wherein removal of said access restrictions grants access to all entitled customers.  
     
     
         8 . An electronic software delivery and management (ESDM) system, comprising: 
 a library for storing Product information and a plurality of associated digital objects and associated License Keys, wherein at least one of said digital objects is associated to a Product, a Product comprising a version of a catalog item, one or both of said objects and said License Keys being accessible by at least one customer who has either earlier subscribed to, or been entitled by an owner or developer of said digital objects to, ESDM services offered by an ESDM entity that operates said ESDM system;    a plurality of software Product manufacturers;    a plurality of channel partners, each channel partner having a predetermined business relationship with at least one said manufacturer;    wherein said manufacturers and said channel partners access said ESDM system via corresponding client machines residing at their respective sites;    a plurality of types of front-end web servers, which comprise any of servers that deliver web pages to multiple customers, servers that deliver images to be displayed within web pages, and servers that dynamically deliver content information to any of said customers, said manufacturers, and said channel partners; at least one of said web servers serving a user interface said user interface comprising: 
 a form for defining a Product, defining a Product including associating one or more License Keys to said Product;  
 a first user interface element within said form for selecting at least one customer authorized to receive said Product;  
 a second user interface element within said form for storing said customer restrictions in a database to enable access to said Product only to said at least one authorized customer; and  
 a user interface element within said form for deselecting said at least one customer, wherein removal of said access restrictions grants access to all entitled customers;  
   at least one communication server for providing automated electronic communications to/from said customers, said manufacturers, and said channel partners;    at least one back-end server for facilitating delivery of digital objects from said manufacturers and said channel partners to their aggregated customer base which comprises said customers;    at least one processing server for authenticating customers according to temporary access codes and, upon successful authentication, making Products from available to said customers pursuant to any access restrictions;    wherein said ESDM system manages discovery and delivery of software Products from said library to customers that are authorized to receive such software Products by subscription, contract, payment, or other arrangement;    a database comprising a number of tables having entries, or records, that are linked by indices and keys, said database containing metadata relating to operation of said servers, said database comprising at least one customer table which contains records for each entity or customer of said ESDM system, said database also comprising Accounts tables, which may be linked to the customer tables and may be populated with Account, Product, and/or order information related to each customer of said ESDM system;    said customer tables comprising web server access codes, comprising a list of recognized users and password or other login information required to use a web site supported by said web servers, said customer tables also containing a mapping of which customers are authorized to access which of said stored digital objects contained in said library, according to any of their original purchase of Products associated with such digital objects and Product access restrictions;    said database comprising a plurality of tables, which may also be linked to said customer table, including at least one manufacturer table that is configured to store data related to manufacturers that are allowed to access said ESDM system, and at least one channel partner table that is configured to store data related to channel partners that are allowed to access said ESDM system; and    said database further comprising one or more user-to-object tables that are configured to define which customers can access data objects or Files within said library associated with a selected Product pursuant to Product access restrictions for said Product;    wherein if a customer restriction is placed on a Product, then said Product is only exposed to the respective customer; and    wherein if no user restrictions exist, then said Product is available to any customer entitled to receive the respective information.    
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein each manufacturer controls actions that an associated channel partner may perform while accessing said ESDM system by defining in partner tables which of existing permissions apply to the respective channel partner, wherein said permissions comprise any of Accounts permissions which enable the channel partner to add and modify Accounts, order permissions which enable the channel partner to process and modify orders submitted by the customers and/or by the channel partner, and Product management permissions which enable the channel partner to add and modify Product information stored in said library.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein each manufacturer controls each channel partners' access to any of Account, order, or Product information that has originated from the respective manufacturer by electing to share such information with specified channel partners.  
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method for facilitating input of customer restrictions associated with one or both of a selected Product and one or more associated License Keys, comprising the steps of: 
 creating a definition for said selected Product;    requesting input of one or more restriction parameters for said one or both of said Product and said one or more associated License Keys;    receiving an interface in a display window for facilitating input of said restriction parameters;    said manufacturer activating a restrict button or link to restrict the Product to specific customers or to remove prior restrictions placed on the Product;    selecting at least one customer authorized to receive the Product from the library;    designating the Product as a restricted Product for the selected one or more customers; and    transmitting the customer restriction information to said ESDM system for storage in appropriate tables within a database.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein customers are authorized to access one or both of Products and one or more associated keys based on Entitlement data.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a Product comprises at least one associated software object, wherein Products are made available to customers who are entitled, wherein only specifically identified Accounts can access certain Products, and wherein said one or both of said Products and said one or more associated License Keys are made available to said customers without the need to create additional Entitlements.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of: 
 said manufacturer selecting a customer to be removed from the restriction list; and    said ESDM system removing the customer restrictions from the tables within the database.    
     
     
         15 . A computer implemented method for facilitating delivery of Products from software manufacturers and channel partners to restricted customer, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a request to access a one or both of a Product and one or more associated License Keys;    retrieving customer Entitlement information from a database, wherein said Entitlement information is associated with a customer from tables within the database;    retrieving restriction parameters for the requested Product;    determining whether the Product is restricted to specific customers;    if the Product is restricted to specific customers, then determining whether the customer that requested the Products or keys is authorized to access the Product or keys; wherein if the customer is not authorized, then access to the Product or keys is denied;    if the Product has no associated customer restrictions, or if the customer is authorized to access the Product, then allowing access to the Product or keys; and    transmitting an approval of access to the customer.